On December 7, 2016, Alaska Wireless Network, LLC (AWN) (a wholly-owned subsidiary of GCI Communication Corp.) filed a request for waiver of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC or Commission) rules which require geographic-based interim and final construction benchmarks for AWN’s license WQJU656, a Lower 700 MHz A Block license comprising the entire state of Alaska (BEA171 – Anchorage, AK). The license has an interim construction deadline requiring AWN to provide signal coverage and offer service over at least 35 percent of the license area by December 13, 2016, and a final construction deadline requiring AWN to provide signal coverage and offer service over at least 70 percent of the geographic area of the license by June 13, 2019. AWN requests the Commission waive the geographic-based benchmarks in favor of AWN covering 50 percent of the license’s population by December 13, 2016, and 70 percent of the population by June 13, 2019.
The Commission is seeking comment on AWN’s petition. Comments are due January 3, 2017, and reply comments are due January 13, 2017.
